Turn Back Time and be Redeemed
by animefan021513
Summary: The one time Aziraphale witnesses and hears Crowley read, he turns around and finds Crowley out cold on the floor and he's...A FLEDGLING AGAIN? How will Aziraphale deal with this? What was Crowley like as a fledgling before he fell? What happens when demons start following them? How will Crowley return to normal? Read and Find out!
1. Chapter 1

"Why do you even have magic spell books, Angel?" Crowley asked as he was helping Aziraphale take inventory after Adam fixed everything. They found a few new books here and there that were all obviously Adam's doing, but more than likely on accident as he tried to fix things.

"You never know when you might need a magic spell that we can't use a miracle for." He stated calmly as he placed more books back on the shelf. "However, they're first edition magic books, so the ingredients for some of the spells may be outdated and had been revised...but I like having them a lot better."

"One of these is more of a riddle than anything." He stated as he traced along the paper that was strangely lined with gold as a boarder around the riddle. "Falling, falling, falling, and falling still, yet losing nothing at all. A pure soul that has never lost himself can read these words and be brought back to a pleasant childhood." Crowley let out a soft chuckle, but soon, he felt strange. It started to feel as if his chest was becoming warm like a star that was being brought to life. "Aziraphale...I think I need to go lay down." He told him as he started getting dizzy.

"Crowley!?" He questioned as he heard a sudden crash and quickly saw books falling on top of Crowley from where he fainted to the floor. "Oh my...what happened!?" He put down all of his books and remembered exactly what Crowley had read. _'...but it couldn't have actually meant anything to Crowley...could it?'_ Then, right before his eyes, he watched Crowley begin to glow and his body along with his clothes started changing. When he was finished changing, he was about the size of a seven year old. His clothes were from long before the fall as they were the robes that they used to wear. However, Crowley's weren't black like when he first met him, but various different shades of green instead and he was barefoot. Not only that, but his tattoo was gone and his hair wasn't ginger anymore. It was black as ebony and if the being in front of him stood, he had no doubt that the wavy black hair would reach down to the boy's waist. Then, with a gentle fluttering sound, the boy's wings came out of his back and Aziraphale was at a complete loss of words. They were gorgeous. They were gradients of ruby red to crimson red from base to tip and they seemed to have stars decorated through out the feathers. Once again, he remembered what Crowley had read and realized that the part of being brought to a pleasant childhood may have been quite literal. _'This...this is Crowley as a fledgling! This is what Crowley looked like as a fledgling!' _

Soon Crowley woke up and when he opened his eyes, Aziraphale gasped at their brilliant emerald green color and how normal they looked. "Oh! Hi!" He said with a joyful smile. "Oh! This is Earth! I can feel it! Oh...and it's SO far into the future!" Crowley jumped up, his hair flowing gracefully with him. "WOW! Books! I love books! God has lots of books! She has books from the future! She might have these books! Oh!" Crowley moved around, carefully tucking his wings in, but not fully drawing them into his back to make them disappear. "God makes me read a lot of the books in her room so that I'll stop bouncing around, but I can't help it! There's just so many things to do! WOW! You have A LOT of the same books God has!" Crowley turned around and beamed at Aziraphale who's jaw dropped at everything Crowley had just said. "This place is very loved! I can feel it. You love this place and it loves you. Oh! Your aura! You're an angel too! So, what's your name?"

"A-Aziraphale." He stuttered out as he moved to stand. "What um...what's your name?"

"Raphael." He chimed joyfully, but the name itself caused Aziraphale to quickly grasp a book shelf for support. "Are you alright, Aziraphale?"

"I...you...you said your name is Raphael!?" His voice was smaller and his voice was hoarse. "As in...Archangel Raphael!?"

"YUP!" He giggled. "What's wrong?" He quickly asked when he noticed Aziraphale's gobsmacked expression.

"Y-You're an Archangel!?" He couldn't stop asking. It was completely baffling. CROWLEY was RAPHAEL before he fell!

"Yup! Although...I don't know what sent me so far forward in time when time hadn't started yet. I'm supposed to be helping Gabriel with his healing powers." He turned around and looked down at the mess on the floor and up at the books. He waved one hand and all of the books lifted into the air, hovering around him, and then they slotted themselves into their correct places. "There, mess cleaned up. Now what?" He quickly turned to face Aziraphale, who at this point, was unsure if he remembered how to speak.

"I...R-Raphael...you um..."

"Oh! I know! Let's go visit Gabriel! He LOVES visits from me! We play a lot and he plays his instruments while I read!" Before Aziraphale could say no, Raphael grabbed his hand and they were suddenly in Heaven and in front of Gabriel himself, in what seemed to be Gabriel's room. He was just sitting on his bed, and now he was staring at them with widened eyes and a slacked jaw. "GABRIEL!" Raphael shouted before he threw himself at the confused Archangel. Gabriel caught him with what seemed to be pure instinct, but then something happened to his face that Aziraphale had never seen before. A wide and genuine smile that made the whole room feel warm with love appeared on his face. "Wow!" Raphael exclaimed as he leaned slightly out of the embrace, balancing on Gabriel's knees with his own. "You got big! How did you get big, but I stayed small? Oh well." He quickly shrugged. "Oh! Your eyes are even prettier now that your bigger!"

Gabriel chuckled warmly at him as he wore an overjoyed look of disbelief before wrapping his arms around him. "How are you here?" He whispered out in what sounded like a choked sob, but there were no signs of tears. He then looked up at Aziraphale, who was standing nervously in the spot he appeared in. He pushed Raphael away slightly to look at him and he gave him another smile. "Raphael, did you bring Aziraphale here with you?"

"Yeah! He's super nice! Oh! And he has a good aura! His aura says he's kind, compassionate, patient, stubborn, loving, determined, energetic, intelligent, and strong! I also saw that he's protected by God Herself! Not like we are, but like he's a part of the Ineffable Plan. A very super important part! I can't tell what for of course, but he's protected! Did you know he has a book place? It's filled with lots and lots of books! Not as much as God's place, but there are SOOOO Many!"

Gabriel couldn't help but shake his head as a fond laugh escaped his lips. He then lifted Raphael off of his kneed and onto his bed before grabbing a book from a small bookshelf that was built into the wall, and he handed it to Raphael who jumped up and down with delight and immediately started to calm down as he started to read, pressing his small back against the wall and wrapping his wings around himself and the book. "Okay, would you like to explain how you found Raphael as a fledgling?" Gabriel asked Aziraphale in a calm and genuine manner, that Aziraphale was almost certain he had fainted long ago and this was all just a strange dream, but he nodded his head with a shaky breath.

"W-Well...you know how all of the demons are fallen angels?"

"Yes." He nodded his head patiently.

"Well, Raphael didn't die." He explained as he exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he had inhaled. "He fell. He became a demon. Specifically...he became Crowley." At that, Gabriel's eyes widened to an incredible degree while his jaw dropped. He swiftly turned his gaze to the distracted fledgling and Aziraphale decided to continue. "We were organizing in my bookshop, he read a riddle spell of sorts and the next thing I know, he's glowing and turning into this. He was talking almost too fast for me to catch up, then he told me his name and...I'm still a bit flabbergasted by it all. I hadn't meant to be here. He wanted me here. He wanted to come visit you. He knows that we were on Earth and that we were...as far as he's concerned...far in his future."

"That's how he survived Holy Water." Gabriel breathed out in pure awe. "He must've still been connected to his Archangel self."

"What do you mean?" He asked as he continued to stand there patiently.

"Well, first...did Crowley ever tell you about his fall?"

"Once or twice. He's said he didn't fall, but he sauntered vaguely downwards."

"Well, that's one thing. None of the demons remember the fall. It's been proven long ago while you were on Earth. They don't remember falling or even being angels themselves. Their memory is of themselves as demons fighting in the war as it was fought. They don't remember anything but the fighting and the inkling of rebelling against God and us. If Crowley remembered falling at all, even to make fun of it or disguise it with a lie, it means that he likely never lost himself. That a part of him was still an Archangel."

"Gabriel!" Raphael called out, closing a book.

Gabriel nodded his head with an exasperated yet fond sigh as he took the book from Raphael, put it back on the shelf, and pulled another one down to give it to Raphael. "Here you go."

"Thank you."

"He read it that fast!?" Aziraphale's jaw dropped.

"He's been in God's library. It was the only thing She could think of to calm his energy. We asked if it was perhaps a mistake that he was so energetic and She said that it wasn't, but that She would have to find something to calm him. Ever since he could read he's been reading nearly everything in God's library. This was before time started. We aged bit by bit, but once we were all around a thousand years old THEN she started time and Raphael helped her create the universe. Anyway, at the time...at this age he's at, he's read well over a thousand books. These are ones he's read over and over again."

"Wait...so you DO know what books are!? When you came into my shop you...!"

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at him and smirked at him while leaning on his palms that were placed on the bed behind his back. "That was to embarrass you. Of course I know what books are. I also know that the humans really aren't as gullible as I said. I'm the Archangel Gabriel, Aziraphale. It's my job to stay up to date with what the humans do. However, I mostly blame my knowledge on books on Raphael, because it truly was the only way God could get him to sit still. Give him a book and immediately he shuts out the rest of the world unless someone takes the book away from him."

"But...Crowley said he doesn't read." Aziraphale mentioned as he tilted his head, watching Raphael read and turn pages.

"Yes, well, if he hadn't lost himself like it seems like he hasn't...then that's because he's read nearly everything over and over. The only thing he refused to read were books of prophecy. He didn't want to know what to expect and for that, God praised him highly, because that meant he understood that not knowing something is sometimes necessary. She allowed him to read as much as he wanted for a whole week. You see, time hadn't started OUTSIDE of Heaven, but it was obvious INSIDE."

"I-I have to ask, but why are you telling me this? Why are you being kind to me? Don't you hate me?" Aziraphale started wringing his hands in pure anxiety as Gabriel's violet gaze widened on him, but soon it relaxed with an uneasy sigh and a shake of his head.

"Aziraphale, I don't need you to tell me how harsh I've been to you, but I've never hated you. You were sometimes a babbling fool, irritating, annoying, and sometimes too caring for humanity, but no...never hated you."

"But...during my erm...trial...you told me to shut my stupid mouth and die already."

"That..." Gabriel took in a deep breath and exhaled it with the next sentence. "...was because I couldn't stand seeing...the Hellfire anymore. Your punishment, for lack of a better term, was a three against one decision. My decision was that we make you human. Michael suggested asking God to fell you, Uriel suggested that your memories of the Demon Crowley be wiped away, and Sandalphon suggested that all of those left risk of you STILL averting the next end should it come sooner or later. So, he suggested Hellfire. Uriel and Michael agreed almost instantly. I agreed just so the argument on what to do with you would be over, but I didn't want that. That's why I was sitting in my room like I am now. Your punishment was nearly three days ago and I couldn't help but think that perhaps you _had_ fallen and THAT'S why you survived it, but God told me that you hadn't fallen. She hadn't said anything more than that. I asked her to elaborate, but she didn't. However, I believe Raphael did that for Her. He said you're protected, and perhaps that's the real reason why you survived Hellfire. You said he read something that turned him into this?" Aziraphale nodded. "What did it say?"

"It read, 'Falling, falling, falling, and falling still, yet losing nothing at all. A pure soul that has never lost himself can read these words and be brought back to a pleasant childhood.' He read it, seemed to get dizzy, wanted to lay down, and then he crashed to the floor. Next thing I know, he's transforming."

"OUCH!" Raphael shouted and brought out his right wing. "My wing..." He trailed off with a pained expression as he tried to look behind his wing, but couldn't quite see where he needed to.

"Turn around." Gabriel sighed out in exasperation, and Raphael did as he was told. Then, they both noticed bent and bothered feathers closer to his shoulder blades and near the the bottom middle of the back of his wing. Aziraphale watched with stunned awe as Gabriel sat crisscrossed on his bed, gently grooming Raphael's wings. "You know you shouldn't sit that much up against the wall."

"But it's comfy!" He protested with a defiant look.

"Keep in mind, Raphael, my fingers are in your wings." His tone was a warning, but the smile on his face said he wouldn't dare pull on the feathers unless he had to.

"U-Understood." Raphael nodded his head as he seemed to swallow a lump in his throat.

"This is strange." Aziraphale mentioned as he shook his head.

"What is?" Gabriel questioned as he evened out the feathers and carefully took out the ones that needed to be taken out.

"I've never seen you...nice...before. Let alone gentle and kind."

"Hmm...well, a lot of that has to do with losing Raphael. Something a lot of people don't know, well, except Michael, Lucifer, and Uriel...Raphael and I are actually twins."

"So are a lot of angels." Aziraphale mentioned with a furrowed brow and a tilt of his head.

"No, not the same. A lot of angels can be made in the same day, but never at the same exact time. Twins for angels are different than humans. For humans it's the concept you have in your mind right now. For angels...it's if we're made at the exact same time right down to the millisecond. That was the case for us. Lucifer and Michael are a bit older than us by about a year or so, and then Uriel is our youngest sister. Michael is three months younger than Lucifer. So in order, it WAS Lucifer, Michael, me and Raphael, and then Uriel. So, when we all thought Raphael had died...it was painful, and I became bitter. He and I were the closest out of all of us. He would occasionally spend time with Lucifer, but usually it was only if he got bored. Otherwise he would be with me, we would train, practice, or he would patiently wait for me to get done with training or vice versa sometimes. I lost in my opinion...everything...after the first war. In my mind, the opposition are responsible for killing my twin brother, but...now..." A grateful and yet still disbelieving smile appeared on Gabriel's face as his hands started to shake. "...I'm sitting here grooming his wings while he reads a book, not paying attention to anything I'm saying as usual when he reads."

"Gabriel, I'm done with this book now, too!" He closed the book and lifted it up. Gabriel took it and put it on his bookshelf behind him, while keeping one hand steady in Raphael's wing. "Can we visit Michael?"

"That um...wouldn't be a good idea." Gabriel stated as his gaze shifted back and forth from Aziraphale and Raphael, confusing Aziraphale slightly.

"Why not?" He wondered as he placed his hands in his lap, sitting up a little straighter.

"Because...look, you know you're far into the future, right?"

"Yeah, I can feel it." He nodded with a confident expression. "Well, in THIS time, a lot has happened. You see...Michael, Uriel, and myself had quite a fight about and with Aziraphale. Lucifer got involved in a horrible way before the fight, but it helped spark it...and well...I don't think Michael would be too keen on seeing Aziraphale."

"But...he has such a good heart! It's been hurt badly here and there, but it's like bandages were put on the hurt by the same person over and over. The bandages..." Raphael turned his gaze to Aziraphale, who seemed to relax under his gaze and quickly noticed a smile forming on his face. "...they've been fixed over and over by someone named Crowley."

"Is that so." Gabriel chuckled out with an amused tone. Can you read the aura on the bandages? That way we can know what type of person Crowley is."

"I think so." He nodded and motioned for Aziraphale to come closer.

Aziraphale immediately looked up at Gabriel, anxiety and nerves dancing all over his body. This was all completely strange and new to him, but when Gabriel nodded the nerves died down slightly. So, he walked forward and just in time too, because Gabriel had finished with Raphael's wing. Raphael then turned towards him, placed his hand on his chest and pulled out a swirling ball of color. "What is that!?"

"Oh...it's an aura." Raphael breathed out calmly as he carefully examined the ball of color. "I can make it physical if I want. I reached for the aura that was different from yours and I pulled it out. Don't worry, I'll put it back. It belongs with you after all." He held the ball in one hand and tapped it, bringing a color out and making it stand in the air as a wispy stripe above and in front of Raphael. He repeated the action with all of the colors until the ball was no more and all that was left were eight stripes of color. However, two of them seemed to stand out to Raphael, because he brought them forward. One was a gradient of black, orange, and red while the other matched the color and design of his wings perfectly. "That's odd...Crowley...he's broken, hurt, and angry, but...he's also..."

"Also what?" Gabriel inquired.

"Me." He reached a hand out to touch the aura that matched his wing while the other hand placed itself on his heart and he pulled out an exact replica of the one that had been pulled out of Aziraphale. "We're the same person...that's...odd...Maybe I become him someday." He placed his own aura back in his own chest while still looking at the one in front of him. "This aura...my main aura...is the aura of an Archangel." He moved the aura back to where it was floating before. "This black and fire looking one...it's an entirely different creature, but it has so much pain inside. It's so sad...it's like...like something was ripped away, burned, and torn apart." Tears started streaming down his face, but he continued anyway as he moved that one back to its place. He then pulled a sky blue aura towards him that had a gradient of sapphire blue at the bottom. "This one means that he's imaginative and creative." He pushed it away and pulled a ruby red aura towards him. "This one means that he's very passionate about the things and people he cares about." He pushed it away and pulled a forest green aura that had a gradient of emerald green at the bottom. "This one means he loves nature. He loves everything about it and can tend to it really well." He pushed it away and pulled a yellow aura that had a gradient of white at the top. "This one means that he's always afraid something will happen to those he cares for, but the white at the top means he'll be as brave as he has to for them too." He pushed it away and pulled a purple aura towards him. "This one means that he's extremely caring, he seems to have a soft spot for humans and...children." He pushed it away and smiled at the aura that had a gradient of white, green, and turquoise with Raphael's aura at the bottom tip of it and the black one from earlier was at the top tip of it. Raphael turned to Aziraphale and gently placed his hand on his chest again and pulled out a similar aura minus Raphael's aura. "This one means he will be loyal to you no matter what. He'll always be there for you and would be willing to die for you. Each one of these though...do you see all of the sparkles?" He questioned as he put the aura back in Aziraphale before moving to recollect the other auras into the ball they were before. He then put the ball back in Aziraphale, and looked at him expectantly. "Well, did you see the sparkles?"

"Y-Yes." Aziraphale whispered out, completely thrown for a loop with who Crowley was. He was apparently broken, hurt, torn, imaginative, creative, passionate, loves nature, fearful of losing those he cares about, brave, caring, and then what really struck him was that he would always be loyal...to him of all people and willing to die for him, but that last part was made obvious when he went to Heaven in his place.

"It means he still has faith in God. So, that's good. Um..." Raphael looked towards Gabriel with a thoughtful expression. "_DO_ I become him? The one who's aura I just read in the ball of aura..." His voice in the question was small, unsure, yet somehow, holding hope.

Gabriel gave him a sympathetic smile and short nod of his head. "Yeah, you do. You go through a lot, but..." He glanced up at Aziraphale, "...Aziraphale is your Best Friend."

Raphael's eyes widened and his jaw dropped into a wide open mouthed smile just before looking at Aziraphale. He then flew towards him and wrapped his arms around him. "I've never had a Best Friend before! That must mean you become super special to me! Hmm...Aziraphale and Raphael...it's like we were MEANT to be friends!" He quickly pulled out of the embrace that Aziraphale hadn't quite realized he had returned so quickly, and he went back to the floor. He then looked up at him with honest and determined eyes. "I'll protect you always!" He then bounced up and down excitedly before going back to Gabriel. "Oh! Gabriel! I have a Best Friend. I've read about Best Friends! They're super special people! They're like extra brothers or sister, but in my case brother! Oh! But I love you still, Gabriel! You're my brother! My twin brother, but...you're so big...we're not twins right now. You're so much older!"

"Raphael..." He sighed out with a saddened expression. "...I'm happy for you, I am, and I'm overjoyed that you're _HERE_, but your presence will be felt the longer you're here and that will put your Best Friend in danger."

"No! What do we do!?"

"YOU will take him back to the bookshop before that happens." Gabriel looked up at Aziraphale with a desperate and pleading expression. "Aziraphale, he's a fledgling right now, which means he is Raphael...purely. Up here he would only need to worry about other angels, but on Earth...he'll have to worry about demons and gifted humans."

Aziraphale understood what he was asking and he quickly nodded his head. "I'll take care of him."

"Good. Find a way to reverse it if you can. Otherwise he'll remain in danger."

"Danger from what, though?" He wondered curiously.

"If he's discovered here...they'll likely try to wipe his memories of you, try to make him into a better angel, make him think he's a lesser angel, basically...they'll try and change him. From the humans...they'll want to study him, poke at him, prod at him, use him, or even his feathers. From the demons...well...they'll likely want to play with him, or get him to fall and then...remake him to their standards while also wiping his memories of you."

"Scary creatures are going to try and come after me?" Raphael questioned with a slightly fearful expression.

"And probably Aziraphale." Gabriel added, likely to make him more brave, which seemed to work.

"I won't let them hurt him!" He quickly jumped off of Gabriel and took Aziraphale's hand. "Let's go back to the bookshop!" As light surrounded them, Aziraphale regretfully caught the sight of Gabriel's door handle being turned, but then they were in his bookshop once again.


	2. Chapter 2

Once they were back in the bookshop, Aziraphale felt his unneeded heart pounding against his chest as he looked down at Raphael. "Right..." He breathed out. "...I just got entrusted the safety of an Archangel fledgling who also happens to be my best friend."

"What do we do now, Aziraphale?" Raphael asked as he let his hand go.

"W-Well...can you tuck your wings all the way in your back?"

"Huh? How do you mean?"

Aziraphale let out a heavy sigh. _'This is going to be difficult, isn't it?'_ He nodded his head answering his own question before answering Raphael's. "Like this..." He let his own wings out, and that seemed to impress him a great deal, but then he turned his back to him and slowly retracted his wings all the way into his being. "...that way..." He started as he turned around to face him. "...we can at least help disguise you."

"Will that protect you?" He questioned as he looked at his wings.

"Why are you so worried about me? You should be worried about yourself. You're the one they'll be after."

"Because...you're my Best Friend. I can feel it now. The love you have for me...the other me...the older me. He's like a brother to you. Like how Gabriel is to me, but...there's also a very strong bond too. Something that can't be broken no matter what. So...will it protect you?"

"Yes." He nodded as he relaxed a great deal. This was still Crowley after all. It was Crowley before the fall.

"Then I'll do it." Within almost an instant the wings retracted into his back with little to no effort. "Hmm..." He looked at Aziraphale and then down on himself. "My clothes aren't like yours. I guess these are outdated..."

"Quite a bit I'd say, but-" Before he could finish he watched as Raphael snapped his fingers and made a near exact replica of Aziraphale's own clothes, but they were formed to fit Raphael's small form. _'Oh be still my beating heart! That is adorable!'_ He squealed in his mind as he also marveled at the small green bow-tie. "If only I had a camera...or knew how to use one. You look so dashing!" He then realized that his hair was too long for a boy his age, and he crouched down in front of him. "Raphael, it would help further if we cut your hair, will you let me? I can do it with a snap of my fingers."

"Okay!" He nodded and waited patiently.

Aziraphale snapped his fingers and his hair was close to the same style Crowley had it, but made to suit a boy instead. He then miracled a mirror to appear and showed it to Raphael. "Do you like it?"

He looked at himself in the mirror and touched his hair. The more he looked, the wider his smile grew. "I love it! My head feels much lighter now too!"

"Good. Now, would you like to go to the park with me? We can feed some ducks."

"I would like that." He nodded and held onto Aziraphale's hand, causing the angel to feel calm and comforted. "I think I should hold your hand so I don't get lost. I'm also supposed to protect you, so I can't lose you either."

"Right." He nodded and with that, they left. Needless to say, Raphael enjoyed the taxi ride to the park, but as soon as he saw the ducks his eyes lit up like the stars themselves. He pulled Aziraphale towards the ducks and Aziraphale miracled a bag of the normal stuff he and Crowley would feed them. "Alright, now you're going to just grab some and toss it either onto the grass or onto the water. They ducks will find it themselves."

He nodded his head and carefully reached into the bag and did as Aziraphale said. When all of the food scattered, he let out a pleased laugh as the ducks started immediately moving towards the crumbs. "It worked!"

"Good job!" He exclaimed as he patted his shoulder. "Do you want to do it again?"

"Yeah!"

"Awe...isn't that cute! There matching! A grandfather and his grandson!" Aziraphale heard a woman remark with pure delight in her voice, and he had to admit that with how he looked and how Crowley looked at the moment, it was what it genuinely looked like based on appearance alone. He shrugged his shoulders and wore a graceful smile, feeling joy that he could still spend time with Crowley, but now he had to also be on his guard. Demons can disguise themselves as anyone. He personally witnessed that.

"Say..." He whispered as he carefully tapped his shoulder. "...to help better disguise you, we should probably come up with a different name for you for now. It can't be Raphael or Crowley."

Raphael looked up at him and furrowed his brow slightly. "Hmm...Anthony."

"Really?" He blinked in shock, remembering all the times he's heard Crowley refer to himself with that name. "Any particular reason for that name?"

"Yeah. It sounds like a combination of Anthem and symphony. I love it when Gabriel plays music. He would always play the most upbeat music, and though we can't dance, I would jump around and twirl and fly as he played the piano, his trumpet, or even the cello. I couldn't play music at all, but he was always great at it. So...that's why I chose it. I combined two words in one. Oh! A middle name should be good. I read that some humans have those...hmm...Jay. Like a Blue Jaybird."

"Well..." Aziraphale chuckled warmly as his expression wore a look of surprise and wonder. _'I wonder if those are the same reasons Crowley chose the name.'_ He patted Raphael on his back and nodded his head. "That's a very good name...Anthony."

"Thank you, and I suppose...my last name if anyone asks...can be Crowley. I do eventually become him anyway." He tossed some more crumbs happily towards the ducks, but then his hand stopped in mid air, which began to worry Aziraphale.

"What's wrong?"

"We need to go." He stated coldly and filled with caution. "Someone's watching us and their aura...it's twisted and...not right. We need to go back to the bookshop."

"Can you look around and pinpoint the aura?"

"I-I don't want to...it's making me feel sick." Raphael held his stomach and clutched his shirt. "It's rotten, it's twisted, it's...sadistic. They're filled with so much malice and anger...please, we have to go. They're staring at us, but I can't tell from where. Don't look around, it'll make them come closer."

Aziraphale nodded his head and understood. He also noticed how pale Raphael had gotten, which told him that whoever's aura he was feeling, it really and truly was making him feel ill. He grabbed his hand gently and started walking. "Let's go home then." He stated as comfortingly as he could. "We can feed the ducks another time. We can read if you want."

"I...I would like that a lot. Hey...if it's dangerous for me it's dangerous for you too. Do you have another name?"

"I do actually. Ezra Fell. Some people call me Mr. Fell, but that's okay."

"Alright...then I'll call you Ezra in front of others." The grip on Aziraphale's hand tightened which only worried him further. "Demon."

"What was that?" He asked as they left the park.

"It's a Demon. I don't know how I know that. I've never met one before, but it is. It's a Demon and it really doesn't like you."

"Is it following us?"

"Yes, but I don't want to look at it." Aziraphale could feel Raphael's hand tremble in his own hand and he noticed the boy grew paler. The only place they would be safe from the demon would be consecrated ground, but that was risky, because he wasn't sure how much of Crowley there was left in the boy. His eyes then widened for a fraction of a second as he remembered that Crowley had once gone into a church already. He should've burst into flames like other demons did. _'Perhaps that riddle in that spell book wasn't too far off after all.'_ He thought with stunned awe. "Listen, Anthony...I know where we'll be safe, but we can't stay there forever."

"Take me there, please, Ezra." He pleaded and it reminded Aziraphale a little of Crowley at that point, because Crowley only ever said please if he was truly desperate for something, and he could tell that Raphael was desperate to get away.

"Alright, we'll go to the closest church with consecrated ground that's open." They took a taxi to the nearest church that Aziraphale could think of and they went inside. Thankfully, nothing important was happening inside and there were only about two people praying. "Feeling better, Anthony?"

"Y-Yeah..." He nodded his head and moved to sit down in one of the seats closest to the door of the church. "This place is loved." He whispered softly, carefully trying not to disturb anyone. It was so soft, in fact, that Aziraphale had to sit next to him and ask him to repeat it.

When he did, Aziraphale nodded with a bright smile. "Yes, this is a church. It's where people come to worship and pray. Demons can't walk on consecrated ground." That last sentence made him let out his own sigh of relief as he realized that Raphael hadn't seemed to be in any pain at all. He then leaned down and whispered softly, "You have to be very careful in here. Talk of angels and demons as well as being an angel is very sensitive to humans. We have to try and be human like them, so how about we just sit here for a while and talk?" He pulled away and noticed that Raphael had nodded his head in agreement.

"So...how did you get all of those books in your shop anyway?" He whispered curiously.

"I got them over time." He smiled. "I was lucky enough to meet some of the authors themselves."

"Do you have a favorite author?" He wondered as he swung his legs back and forth.

"You know...I'm not sure I do, but if I had to pick one...I'd like to say Oscar Wilde."

"That's interesting...you struck me more as the Shakespeare type. You seem like you would've liked Hamlet."

"That's more of a play, Anthony, and besides..." He leaned down and whispered, "...I got to see it in person and meet William Shakespeare himself."

Raphael's eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped. "Wow!" He tried to whisper, but it was a little louder than it was supposed to be, so he quickly covered his mouth. "You really met him?"

"Yes, and you wanna know something?" Raphael quickly nodded his head. "Crowley met him too." He gave Raphael a small knowing smirk and watched as the fledgling's face lit up.

"Th-That means I met him too!"

"That's right." He nodded and then looked towards the door. "Say...Anthony, do you think they're gone?"

When he looked back to him, he saw that Raphael was bowing his head and seemingly concentrating. When he opened his eyes once again he nodded his head. "They're gone. We can go now." He hopped down and pulled on Aziraphale's hand. "Come on. I like the feel of this place and how loved it is, but it's different from the love your shop holds."

Furrowing his brow, Aziraphale got up and they left to get another taxi to take them to the bookshop. Once they got there, they both walked inside and let out their own sighs of relief. "Can I ask you something?"

"I guess." He shrugged as he moved towards the back room.

"Where are you going?"

"Where the most love is. It's love belonging to both you and Crowley. The both of you loved this area a lot." Aziraphale followed him to the back room and watched him sit on the couch that Crowley would usually sit on, so he moved to his usual chair.

"Right, we've had a lot of good memories in here." He chuckled lightly, but then remembered his question. "So, what did you mean by the difference in love."

"It's...weird...it's a love for what the building represents, but not a love for the building itself. Not a love for what's in it. Then, there's your shop and every single book has love, every small space, even this couch I'm on. Every bit of this place is loved. There has been laughter, pain, heartache, friendship, and brother bonds in here. It's well loved and it loves you back."

"Wait...go back...pain and heartache? What do you mean?"

"Hmm...I can show you. It's still fresh. I can take us back to the memory."

"Wait...you can travel through time too!?"

"God and I were going to start time together, so yes, I know how to move through time. We won't be anything but apparitions though. Things will phase through us and we won't feel anything physical. Do you want to see the memory?"

Aziraphale thought about it for a moment and there was a twisting feeling in his chest and gut that it was a pained and heartbroken memory for Crowley, and he felt that, more than anything, he needed to see that. "Yes, I would like to see the memory."

"Come with me, it's in the main part of the shop." Aziraphale got up and followed Raphael until he stood in one spot. "Ready?"

"Yes." He voiced with determination and conviction. Then, within the blink of an eye, they were still in the bookshop, but everything was on fire and in flames. It was as if everything was being consumed by Hellfire, but it wasn't at the same time. Everything was shrouded and engulfed in flames. Then, he heard the doors to his shop opening. When he saw who it was he gasped. "Crowley!" He breathed out in shock.

"Th-That's me in the future!?" Raphael stuttered out, but neither said anything else once Crowley started looking around.

_"Aziraphale!" When there wasn't an answer, Crowley's cries grew more desperate. "Aziraphale! Where the Heaven are you, you idiot!? I can't find you!" He frantically looked around before shouting to the ceiling, "Aziraphale! For God's...for Satan's...AH for SOMEBODY'S SAKE WHERE ARE YOU!?" As he was screaming at the top of his lungs, a fire hose started, knocking him on his backside, and he started crying. "You've gone!" He whimpered out with pure heartache and loss lacing his tone, causing Aziraphale to clutch a hand to his chest. "Somebody's killed my best friend! You BASTARDS! All of you!"_

The memory vanished and they were back in the bookshop. "Th-That's me in the future?" Raphael repeated as he staggered back slightly. It was then his turn to hold a hand to his chest.

"Raphael?" Aziraphale questioned carefully with worry growing on his features like clouds in the sky during a storm.

"He...the heartache was palpable enough for me to go back in the memory, but...he...I...blamed myself for your supposed death. I was so heartbroken...I lost a will to go on...I thought you were dead. It broke me. You were my best friend and I thought I lost you...forever."

The words rang in Aziraphale's mind. _'...Changed my mind. Stuff happened. I lost my best friend.'_ That's what Crowley had told him, and he felt ever the fool for not realizing it sooner and for actually having a twinge of jealousy and anger for whoever Crowley thought of as a Best Friend and why they would leave him during such a vital time, but they couldn't talk about it at the time. "Y-Yeah...but...I'm here."

Raphael looked at him and tears started to stream down his face as his breathing started to grow heavy. Then, without hesitation, he ran towards Aziraphale and gave him a tight hug, careful not to let his wings out. Aziraphale quickly wrapped his arms around him and allowed him to cry silently against his stomach. "I felt it...SAW it! His beautiful aura completely darkened to everything...EVERYTHING related to sorrow, dread, fear, and pain. There...there was nothing...and that was me...in my future!"

"I'm sorry, Raphael." Aziraphale breathed out as he crouched down to wrap his arms securely around the fledgling.

"N-No...I'm glad I saw it." He sniffed. "It showed me just how much you mean to the other me." He pulled away from the embrace and quickly wiped his eyes. "S-Sorry for crying. It...was a lot of emotion at once. I've never seen an aura practically snap before either. Hey, let me do something to repay you letting me cry on your tummy."

"A-Alright. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, since I can move through time, and I saw a little of what I looked like, I could take you into my future, your distant past, and I can show you something I know will be beautiful." He held out his hand to Aziraphale, and smiled brightly when he took it, even if he WAS hesitant. "Good! Now, don't worry, you'll be fine. You just have to keep holding my hand." When Aziraphale nodded, giving him a sign to go ahead, he closed his eyes and focused on the man he saw, how different he looked, and he knew his looks would change AFTER this point in time, so he focused a bit on his build and when he and God would start time. He soon felt the familiar pull of being yanked through time and he opened his eyes.

"I...I don't see anything. There's nothing here." Aziraphale stated.

"Exactly. Just wait and watch."

_Immediately after his words, a light briefly appeared and a man that looked similar to Crowley stepped out of it with a beautiful woman. To describe her would be near impossible. The only thing Aziraphale could say to describe her was that her hair was as pale as the moon, she wore a dress as white as snow, and her skin was pale ivory. "There's nothing here, Lord." The man stated. He had black hair that was wavy and hung just between his shoulder blades in between his wings. His eyes were the same as Raphael's and so were his robes, but they were fit for his form._

**_"That's correct, Raphael. There is nothing. You and I are finally going to start time, but at the same time we will create the universe. I will allow you one person to choose to help us. I have a sneaking suspicion who it will be, but be sure you choose wisely."_**

_He beamed brightly and confidently replied, "Archangel Gabriel. My twin."_

_**"Very well."** She nodded her head with a melodious laugh and she opened another white light, which Gabriel stepped through looking as he always had to Aziraphale, but this time he was wearing violet and lavender colored robes. **"Archangel Raphael has chosen you to help us create the universe. Now, I will call the lights into being as well as the planets. Earth, however, will be all me. Gabriel, you will give them color and form, Raphael, you will give them life, increase or decrease their light, and you will help form them as well as hang them in place. It will start off as a massive light, so you'll have to be creative. As my two most creative angels, do you think you can handle this? I'll also create other planets while you're doing all of this so...if you have questions, ask them now."**_

_Gabriel and Raphael looked at each other, smiled, and then laughed. "No! We don't have any questions." They answered in unison. "Let's get started." They chorused._

_**"Let there be light!"** God created a large ball of light that was as big as a cathedral and it burst into millions upon millions and then billions upon billions of small lights. Gabriel and Raphael got to work. Aziraphale watched in stunned awe and wonder as he watched Gabriel and Raphael laugh and work together effortlessly. They did exactly as God told them while she continued to send them more stars as she made planets and sent them to their correct positions. _

_Gabriel worked as if he were conducting an orchestra giving them bright blues, reds, an air of gas around them that was similar to an aura around the star, and he would send it off to Raphael, who worked as if he were painting a masterpiece with both hands with as much attention he paid to all the stars at once. His joyous laugh was breathed into every star while his wings cradled them as they grew brighter or dimmer. He would then see them off and continue again. Together, Gabriel, God, and Raphael formed the universe in a joyful, mirthful, and beautiful dance of art. God helped her fair share in positioning and coloring the stars while forming planets, stars, and entire galaxies far away, but Gabriel and Raphael were having far too much fun to notice. Together, they eventually created a Nebula that held a multitude of colors. "Beautiful, Gabriel!" Raphael bellowed out with a laugh as they continued their work._

_"Don't sell yourself short, Brother!" Gabriel grinned as brightly as the shining stars around them. "You did a great deal as well!" They continued like that for quite some time with more help from God, and Aziraphale soon found himself crying from how beautiful and magnificent it was. There were only three beings that personally watched the universe being created and now...there was a fourth, and he was that fourth. __Once they were done, God started to create Earth, but then the memory ended and he was abruptly brought back into his bookshop._

"So what did you think?" Raphael asked him with a bright smile.

"I..." He choked out as the tears continued to rush down his face. "...there aren't words." And to him there truly weren't. Not in any language. His heart was pounding against his chest, and if he wasn't standing in front of a fledgling Raphael OR at the same time a fledgling Crowley, he would think that was the most wonderful dream. If he dreamed that is.

"Gabriel and I do a pretty good job." Raphael hummed with delight. "I know that to you I've gone back in time, but to me...that hadn't happened yet." After he spoke, Raphael violently shuddered and hugged himself with a fearful expression.

"What's wrong!?"

"It's back! The Demon! It's outside your shop! It's coming closer! I don't feel good. It hurts, it burns all over, it makes my wings hurt, it makes them feel like they're on fire, it makes my stomach clench, it makes my heart stop, and it makes me want to faint. It's such a negative aura!" Aziraphale saw the distress on Raphael's face, and if it WAS a Demon like he believed it to be, then a child dressed up exactly like him might set off some alarms even though it likely saw them at the park together. He quickly tried to remember that Raphael was a child right now, but he was also Crowley, so he snapped his fingers and changed the fledgling's clothes. He was now wearing a solid black T-shirt, black jeans, and black sneakers...mainly because he's the size of a child.

The door swung open, and Aziraphale stepped in front of Raphael with a heavy scowl on his face. "You're a Demon." He stated coldly and bitterly as he recognized the demon. It was the demon Hastur. "What do you want?"

"Why, I'm just here to check on the angel who rose and Demon."

"Rose?"

"Yes, if we're fallen, then I suppose a Demon can rise. Oh, I don't know how you did it, but Crowley became..." He took an intake of breath that was more like a snarling hiss before continuing. "...Good."

"I did nothing to him." He spat. "What do you want with me?"

"Oh, I was sent to keep an eye on you." He chuckled cruelly. "Then, imagine my surprise when I see you with a small child wearing clothes exactly like yours. Now, I will admit, I'm not the smartest demon by far, but I DO know what a nephilim is. Tell me, did you find a human woman, Aziraphale? Is that your child?"

"No." He breathed out simply. "There has been no woman, and I have no child."

"Then what do you call that behind your back then?"

"Not a nephilim. Heaven would immediately come after me if I did such a thing. They would destroy me and the child without hesitation."

"Well, you proved that they can't destroy you with Hellfire, perhaps they believe the same for the child behind your back. I mean, you are an abomination like Crowley. We just don't know what it IS with you two. Crowley survives Holy Water, and you survive Hellfire."

"God's doing." He growled out, growing more furious at the Demon calling Crowley an abomination. "She chose for us to survive."

"HA! God doesn't give a shit about Demons! Why would she!? We're not her's and never were!"

_'Gabriel was right...they DON'T remember!'_ Aziraphale thought with a shock toned, but he kept his face in a scowl as he continued to guard Raphael. "Do you ever wonder why you're called the fallen?"

"No. Not really." He shrugged with a dismissive chuckle. "Doesn't matter to me."

"It should though." He sighed out as he shook his head. "You're called the fallen, because you and your people are fallen angels. During the first war it was angels against angels and those that rebelled were cast out and turned into Demons, also known as the fallen or fallen angels. You were all angels once."

"You're lying to save your own skin!" Hastur shouted, showing his outrage.

"Why would I need to save my own skin? I can survive Hellfire, remember?"

"Hmm...regardless, I've also come for the brat."

"What do you want with him?" Aziraphale turned his head slightly while keeping narrowed eyes on the Demon in front of him.

"Someone saw you with him. It was thought strange by above and below. So, I've come to take the child, see what he knows, manipulate him a little here and there, perhaps some torture. Oh, I do hope I get to play too. There's also a strange hum of power coming from the boy that typically doesn't come from humans, but supernatural creatures like ourselves."

"I won't let you have him!" Aziraphale snapped, his wings threatening to come out and guard the fledgling with everything he had. "You'll have to find some other being to test your sick and twisted torture on."

"Well..." He shrugged with an all too delighted grin on his face. "...guess I'll have to take you both!"

"NO!" Raphael shouted before moving in front of Aziraphale, holding his arms out to protect him. "You. Will. Not. Hurt. Him." It wasn't a 'I won't _let_ you hurt him.', Aziraphale realized. Nor was it, 'Please don't hurt him' or even 'take me instead.' It was an absolution. Every syllable dripping with promise, and there were small waves of wrath pouring off of the fledgling. Unfortunately, the Demon could feel the wrath too.

"Oh-ho!" Hastur chuckled cruelly. "That's angelic wrath! That's more powerful than human wrath. He really IS a nephilim isn't he! Well, aren't you a naughty angel!?" He started cackling, only further angering the fledgling.

"You. Will. Not. Hurt. Him." He promised again and as he did so, Aziraphale's eyes widened as he could see the physical manifestation of Raphael's wrath. It wisped about like a solar flare, and felt nearly just as scorching. It was white, and it was a small ball in the middle of his core that slowly grew more and more, the wisps growing more erratic the longer he stood there.

"You can't do anything to me." He laughed confidently. "You're nothing but an abomination. A powerful one, I'll give you that, but the worst you can do is discorporate me, but there will be others to come collect you. If you send me back, they'll likely come collect him too, and there will be more than just me at a time. They'll bring two, three, possibly even four at a time. Do you REALLY think YOU can handle them."

"YES!" Raphael shouted as he allowed a large pulse to erupt from his wrath, and right in front of them, Hastur incinerated from his core and the white flames were spreading from there, going into opposite directions, to his feet and to his head until he was gone.

Once he was gone, Raphael seemed to calm down as the glow shrunk into his body until it eventually disappeared, leaving Aziraphale completely gobsmacked at the amount of power. Not only that, but the wrath didn't just hit Hastur, it him as well, but when it touched him, it quickly turned into a protective barrier of something he was well acquainted with when around Crowley. _'...But around Crowley, it was ALWAYS there as if...'_ His eyes widened as he realized what Crowley had done for the past six thousand years. _'...as if Crowley had extended his own aura over me to...protect me._' His jaw dropped slightly when he remembered what Raphael said he saw around his heart. _'Bandages...and the bandages gave off...Crowley's...aura.' _He quickly shook his head and rushed to Raphael, which obviously wasn't far, but he quickly turned the fledgling around with an astonished expression and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yes." Raphael nodded, and for some reason, Aziraphale was more aware to the air around the fledgling. It was calm, but at the same time it was still angry. "He's gone and he's NEVER coming back."

"Wh-What did you do?" He whispered out, his astonishment growing by the second.

"I burned him from the inside out." He stated matter-of-factly. "I smited him with Holy Wrath."

Aziraphale nodded his head. "Alright, that makes sense, but um...we can't stay here. We have to go somewhere else. Um..." He furrowed his brow, trying to think of where they could go, then it hit him and he nearly laughed at the idea. "Raphael, can you possibly feel the Antichrist's aura?"

"What would it be like?"

"It would be strong, powerful, neither good nor evil...I think, and it would belong to a human."

"Hmm...well...I can, but I can't see it. It's too big."

He nodded his head again. "Right, but do you think you could possibly take us to or near the center of the aura?"

Raphael grabbed Aziraphale's hand and closed his eyes. As he did this, Aziraphale could feel the warmth and thrum of the fledglings power and it was incredible as well as terrifying. _'Has Crowley been like this the whole time!? And if so...why can I feel it NOW!?'_ He briefly thought before he watched his surroundings change in an instant. They were in front of Anathema's cottage and somehow, remarkably enough, Raphael managed to bring the Bentley with them. "How'd you manage the car?" He asked with slight amusement and wonder.

"It had your's and Crowley's aura in it and around it. I thought that...maybe if this is where I'm returned to normal...perhaps Crowley would want his car."

The terrifying feeling he had about the fledgling's power subsided as the familiar fond and exasperated feeling wormed its way into Aziraphale's chest. "Good thinking." He nodded and they walked up to Anathema's door, which opened before he could knock. "Ah! Anathema."

She looked back and forth from Aziraphale and Crowley and her eyes widened bit by bit for fifteen seconds. "Why is the Demon...like you...but different...stronger somehow?"

"WHOA!" Raphael laughed out with pure fascination in his widened eyes. "Your aura is ALL OVER the place! Not like the Antichrist's, but...WHOA!"

"Come again!?" She blinked frantically.

Aziraphale let out a heavy sigh as he smiled down at Raphael. "I'll explain everything if you'll let us inside, my dear. Is um...Adam here by any chance?"

"I'm right here." Adam chimed as he scooted past Anathema. "Why are you looking for me?"

"Well, we have a bit of a problem." Aziraphale admitted and then looked to Anathema and she nodded her head, moving back inside the cottage with Adam following her.

"Thank you!" Aziraphale breathed out as he guided Raphael inside.


	3. Chapter 3

Once the door closed behind them, Raphael switched back into hyper mode. "WHOA! This place is amazing! There's different lingering auras! Oh! Is that cake!? I LOVE CAKE! Is it vanilla? Is it chocolate? What kind of frosting does it have? I don't know how I know I love cake, I personally haven't had it, but I know I love it, and I know it's TASTY! Oh! Candles! They smell amazing! Wow! You have pots and pans going! Were you cooking dinner? Is it dinner right now? I don't know if I moved through time or not, it's still finicky, because of Adam's aura, but-"

Aziraphale quickly miracled a book from his shop and held it in front of Raphael, who quickly took it, left to go sit at the table, and started reading. "There, that'll keep him occupied."

"Wh-What just happened?" Anathema stuttered out as she stared at the being sitting at her dining room table, seemingly silenced by a book. _'It's like someone just tamed a tiger or charmed a snake...no...definitely charmed a snake. The boy did EXACTLY what Aziraphale WANTED him to do.'_

"Ah, right...well...Crowley and I were organizing my bookshop a little, and he read a spell from a magic book. It said, 'Falling, Falling, Falling, and falling still, yet losing nothing at all. A pure soul that has never lost himself can read these words and be brought back to a pleasant childhood.' Then, he got dizzy...and turned into a fledgling."

"A fledgling?" Adam questioned with a risen brow.

"Yes, it's basically the name for a baby or kid angel." Aziraphale explained. "He WAS a Demon, but all Demons were angels once...so...when it reverted him back to his childhood...it made him a fledgling once more. This...is basically Crowley when he was young. Crowley was the tall man dressed in black that was with me at the air base. We helped Adam...he stopped time. Now, Hell is after him, because they sense power from him, and they think he's my nephilim."

"Your what now?" Anathema asked as she tried to grasp everything he was telling her. It was easy to grasp being a witch, because there were rules, methods, instruments, and the prophecies always led her, but they only taught her about the end of the world in riddles. This was entirely new to her, despite her still being a witch.

"My nephilim...basically...my child that I would've had with a human. Me getting a human pregnant...would result in something that's called a nephilim. It's half angel half human. THAT has never happened or come CLOSE to happening for me, so that's impossible. Like I said, this is Crowley...before he became a demon."

"S-So..." Anathema started rubbing the back of her neck, starting to understand slightly. She could understand why Demons would want to go after that, but she had a feeling there was more than just the Demons not realizing that the small boy is actually the Demon Crowley taken back WHO KNOWS how many years. "...if demons were once angels...wouldn't they recognize him?"

Aziraphale softly shook his head. "No. They don't even remember being angels. It's a bit complicated, but the point is, they're after Crowley and...well...if they find out exactly who he is, that would be a cosmic problem."

"Cosmic?" Anathema laughed out in pure disbelief. "Look, I'll agree with you that demons having access to an apparent fledgling would be bad, monumentally so, perhaps for the world, but cosmic?" She shook her head and scoffed. "I don't think so."

"It would be, because he hung the stars. He helped God and Archangel Gabriel CREATE the universe. He helped create galaxies, nebulae, stars, and he helped illuminate them and put them in their place. THAT. IS. COSMIC!"

At that, Adam and Anathema looked at each other with the same expression. A look of awe, worry, and seriousness. "Who..." Adam started, but decided to stop. He walked over to Raphael and tapped him on the shoulder.

He stopped reading and put the book down. "Oh! Hi, Adam." He beamed at him.

"Hi...say...what's your name?"

Raphael quickly looked at Aziraphale with a worried expression, but when the older angel nodded, he relaxed a great deal and gave Adam another bright and friendly smile. "I'm the Archangel Raphael." At that, Anathema staggered back so much, she tripped and hit her head on the counter on her way down. Raphael quickly got up and moved towards her. "Are you alright?" He asked cautiously as he watched her lean forward to hold the back of her head.

"F-Fine...I think...I...oh...I have a headache now."

Raphael nodded and gently removed her hand, pleased to see Anathema letting him do so, and he put his own hand over the back of her head. Then, with a concentrating expression shining in his emerald eyes, his hands started to glow with the same brilliant color, making the whole warm feel safe, comforting, and calm. Once he was done, the glowing stopped and he stepped away. "Do you feel better now?"

"Y-Yeah!" She whispered out in awe as she looked at him. "What did you do?" She asked as she got up off the floor.

"I thought that was obvious." He chuckled warmly. "I healed you. It's what I'm meant to do. I'm meant to Heal, protect, and Guard humans. I'm meant to be the leader of Guardian Angels and Healing Angels, but..." He let out a slightly amused sigh as he turned to face Aziraphale. "...apparently my future self had other plans." He then turned his gaze back to Anathema after he watched the older angel's smile grow. "It worked out though. I still ended up doing what I was meant to do apparently, just with the much added help of the Antichrist. Wait..." A glowing smile appeared on his face and he started jumping up and down a bit before moving back to Adam. "Say! Were you born as Lucifer's son?"

"I was, but he's not my dad. He's not my Father. I don't acknowledge him as such. My Father is completely human and the kindest man ever."

"Oh, then never mind."

Adam noticed that his words hadn't seemed to faze Raphael, despite him looking so excited earlier. "You were excited about something before you asked. What was it?"

"Well, I thought since Lucifer was your biological Father...that would TECHNICALLY make you my Nephew, because Lucifer was once an Archangel, and the Archangels were THE MOST related angels."

"And you're not...I dunno...disappointed or something that I don't want to be?"

"No, of course not." He grinned softly as he took both of Adam's hands and looking down at them, feeling how smooth yet rough they were before speaking. "If you say he's not your Father, then he's not your Father. Not just because reality listens to you, but because your SOUL says so as well, and though I can't see your aura, because it enormous...I can FEEL that it's a good thing and that you're genuinely happy. Besides..." He looked up into Adam's eyes and his grin softened into a joyful smirk. "...I would rather have you as my friend than my nephew, but of course, that's ALSO your choice."

"You're awfully mature for a five year old." Adam rolled his eyes.

"Excuse you!" Raphael scoffed. "I am seven!" He placed his hands on his hips, but then both him and Adam bursted out laughing. Once they calmed down, Crowley gave him an excited smile. "Hey, you wanna see something beautiful?"

"Um..." He chuckled slightly, still dying down from his laughter. "...sure. Why not?"

With that, Raphael moved to where there was enough room and he allowed his wings to be released. "These are my wings."

Adam's eyes widened an incredible amount. "C-Can I touch them?" He asked cautiously as he moved to hold a hand out.

"I don't mind, just be careful and try to only touch the bottom feathers."

When Adam stepped closer to Raphael, he couldn't quite register his legs. The wings were so completely different from what he had seen when Crowley stopped time. "When I saw Crowley's wings...they were pitch black."

"That's because Crowley's a demon or at the very least, enough of a demon to where his wings got tainted." Aziraphale explained carefully as he watched Adam nearly hesitate to touch the wings that waved gently and patiently.

Adam nodded his head and touched the pads of his fingers to the feathers, causing a gasp to come out of his throat. "Whoa!" He whispered out. "Th-They're super soft! It's...it's like touching a cloud or something...or...that really smooth fabric...SILK! Yeah, it's like touching feathers made of silk."

"Thank you." Raphael nodded his head proudly. "I'm going to put them back now, okay? I don't want the Demons to find me, because of my wings."

Adam nodded with a brilliant smile as he backed away slightly, watching the wings go back into the small body as if they never existed. "Why did you let me touch them if it would put you in danger? That doesn't make any sense."

"Because I wanted you to know what an angel's wings feel like. You deserve it. You helped a great deal in protecting the whole world. So...it was as a thank you. Now...the problem we came here with...Demons apparently want me, and they don't care of Aziraphale gets hurt. I, however, do. I'm not supposed to look like this, you all know that, and as much as fun as I've had...I can't stay like this any longer. We need to find a way to change me back."

"Well, what if I command it or something." Adam suggested. "I was able to affect reality. Maybe I can help you."

"Yeah, but you gave up most of your reality bending power when you told Satan he wasn't your Father." Anathema reminded him.

He nodded his head as he furrowed his brow. "I think I got some weird magic left." He looked Raphael in the eyes and he took a deep breath for a moment. "Raphael, you need to be an adult again."

Almost immediately there was a puff of green, black, and red smoke, accompanied by thousands of feathers where Raphael was. As the smoke cleared and the feathers dissipated, Raphael was revealed to be much taller. Crowley height to be exact, and his hair was even shorter and gone to a more ginger color rather than it's ebony color from earlier. "So...did it work?"

"Afraid not." He sighed out as he looked at himself. "I must've changed my hair color and style before my apparent fall, or I was told to. One or the other. Oh..." Raphael quickly got dizzy and immediately reached for his head. Thankfully, Aziraphale caught him in time. "Thank you."

"No problem. Well, at least we can work with this if the Demons come back. Why did you get dizzy?" He asked him as he moved him to the dining table.

"So...many...memories. They're flooding in at once and organizing themselves properly, but there's just so damn many." He plopped down in the chair and held both hands to the sides of his head.

"How old are you right now."

"I'm...nine hundred and ninety nine. A year before time is supposed to stop. In my time anyway. Yeah...this whole time thing...it's making everything confusing. Aziraphale?"

"I'm right here." He calmly stated as he placed a comforting hand on Raphael's upper arm.

Raphael let out a soft chuckle as he released his hands from his head and placed a hand over Aziraphale's, patting it lightly. "I need you to do something that might be a bit difficult."

"What is it?"

"I need you to make me look like Crowley...and teach me how to be him in case the Demons show up. Right now, I would give off the power of an Archangel, but the more and more I act like someone else and suppress my power...the less suspicious they'll get. Do you think you can teach me how to be him?"

Aziraphale let out a soft laugh and nodded his head as he stood straighter, taking his hand away from Raphael. "I had to learn to, and if I can learn it within one night, I'm sure you can learn it too."

"Wait!" Adam pleaded. "I could try two more things."

"Alright." Raphael replied with a nod of his head, noticing the determined look in the boy's eyes. "Go for it."

"Okay...Raphael...you HAVE to be the Demon Crowley again." At his words absolutely nothing happened. Not even a gust of wind. "Wh-Why didn't that work?"

"I do believe..." Aziraphale started with a sympathetic look in his eyes. "...that it's because only GOD can turn an angel into a demon. Only SHE knows how to truly fell an angel. It would also take IMMENSE power to fell am Archangel."

Adam nodded his head as he let out a heavy disappointed sigh. "Right then...Raphael?"

"Yes, Adam?" He smiled reassuringly as if to say, 'Even if this doesn't work. It's okay.'

"You, Raphael..." He took a big breath before using everything he felt at once and all of the emotion he could muster before shouting, "...NOW HAVE ALL OF THE DEMON CROWLEY'S MEMORIES SINCE HE FELL AND BECAME A DEMON!" _That_ command, however...that...absolution..._DID_ do something. A brilliant light enveloped Raphael and it grew brighter and larger until eventually he just stopped, disappearing completely, making the room seem all too dark despite nothing major happening to the room itself.

"Oh..." Raphael groaned. "...well, safe to say that worked!" He laughed out as he held his head, and Aziraphale immediately rushed over.

"So...what does this mean? A-Are you...?"

"Oh, I'm Crowley alright, Angel, but I'm also Archangel Raphael. I'm both. Adam here found a loophole!" He stood from the table and wrapped his arms around Adam. "You've restored a fallen angel! You're a wonder kid!"

Adam returned the hug for a moment and then moved to see Crowley's eyes. "Your eyes are back to their snaky look. Hey...are those really snake eyes?"

"Considering I was the serpent in the Garden of Eden, yes, they are. Thank you, Adam." He was about to turn to face Aziraphale, but then he felt a violent shiver go up his spine as he clutched a hand to his suddenly sick stomach. "Just in time too. Apparently they've figured out where I am." Crowley snapped his fingers and his outfit adjusted to even more of something he would wear. He completely looked like Crowley now. His snake eyes, short hair, and the exact outfit he wore the day of the end of the world that didn't happen. "Let's go meet them, Aziraphale." He grinned as he quickly switched his aura to his demonic one.

Aziraphale nodded his head as he wiped away a stray tear. _'Crowley is back...but so is Raphael! They're BOTH back!'_ He cheered in his mind as he followed him out the door. Once they were out the door, he quickly noticed that there were two demons and for some reason...Archangel Michael. "Archangel Michael...what a pleasant surprise."

"Yes, it is for me." She grinned before turning to look at the two demons. "You see...something struck me as odd when I saw the Demon Crowley bathing in Holy Water. Oh, it was terrifying and it meant that he was an abomination, but then Gabriel told me he had a similar experience with Aziraphale. Then, Aziraphale spat hellfire at him. It took me a while to realize, but it was all on how Aziraphale acted from what Gabriel said. You see...I have a hard time believing that he would spit fire as angry as he might've been to be punished and told to walk into Hellfire."

"Think what you want..." Crowley started confidently with a wicked smirk. "...but that really was us. I took a wonderful bath and Aziraphale...well...I guess I'm just a bad influence on him." He looked to Aziraphale who returned the smirk in kind, nodding his head in agreement. He then returned his gaze to Michael and let out a short sigh. "So, may I ask why you're here with Hastur and Beelzebub?"

Hastur and Beelzebub both lunged at Crowley and bound his arms while Michael snapped her fingers, binding Aziraphale, and transporting them all to the same room that Aziraphale's punishment was in. "We're going to try this again, and this time, there's not going to be a chance for the two of you to come up with a plan to get out of this mess."

"Michael!?" Gabriel's voice came from nearby. "What are you doing!? Wait..." Gabriel stopped and his eyes went wide. When both demons and Michael turned to face him Crowley quickly shook his head, silently telling him not to say or do anything no matter what. Gabriel understood every silent word in that head shake and made to relax his shoulders. "...is that the Demon Crowley and Aziraphale? What are they doing here? I thought we already punished them and why are there two other demons in Heaven? You didn't tell the rest of us about this."

"That's because I figured it out, Gabriel." She stated proudly as she glared at Crowley and Aziraphale. "Somehow...they switched bodies and avoided punishment."

"What?" He blinked in shock, and as he looked at Crowley, he remembered that when they were both full fledged Archangels, God granted them a gift and told no one about it. _'A-Are you still there, Raphael?'_

_'YES!'_ Crowley mentally shouted desperately while keeping a neutral yet pissed off expression._ 'I'm still here! Adam...the Antichrist...he found a loophole! He returned all of my memories as Crowley with a command and he made me an adult again! She's right though...we DID switch bodies, but no matter what...I need you to NOT interfere! Play along if you can! Please! I'm both Crowley and Raphael, but I REALLY need you to treat me like you've treated Crowley BEFORE you knew he was me!'_

_'I understand.' _He glared down at Crowley and walked forward towards him. "They dared to trick Heaven!? Even Hell!?"

"Yes!" Michael shouted, glad to see that Gabriel was understanding her point of view. "I don't know how they accomplished it, but they did and they accepted each other's punishments!"

"Oh, but it doesn't end there." Hastur chuckled darkly. "I was sent to investigate a strange power surge, and what I found was truly monstrous and disgusting. I saw Aziraphale with a young boy seemingly about the age of seven and he had angelic power rushing through him despite appearing human.

"A NEPHILIM!?" Michael shouted in pure shock. "You didn't tell me about that!"

At that, Gabriel had to fight the urge to grin as he crossed his arms. "You know...Aziraphale's punishment was because he was fraternizing with a demon. Tell me, Michael, have you been doing the same and you watched as someone was sent to Hellfire for your same crimes?"

"Wh-What? No! I m-mean...I would never!"

As she stuttered, Gabriel's eyes widened in realization while his arms dropped back down to his sides. "Back channels..." He whispered out. "Michael, what have you done?"

"What was necessary." She huffed out. "Now, we're going to punish both of these traitors properly this time. Not only that, but if Aziraphale created an abomination, he needs to be eradicated."

_'It'll be okay, Gabriel. Go along with it. Please!'_

"I'll be witness to the punishment as Archangel Gabriel." He breathed out, trying to calm his nerves.

"Good! I was hoping you would see it my way." She smiled and nodded at the two demons. They ignited the same place with Hellfire that they had before, and they yanked Aziraphale away, who was trying desperately to play it off as someone who ALREADY stepped through the fire, despite his whole body going cold and his soul crying out in pain and sorrow. Then, he quickly remembered what young Raphael had told Gabriel. _'He said...that I'm protected. I'm an important part of the Ineffable Plan. IF that's so...God wouldn't just let me burn...but then why would Agnes' prophecy be needed...'_ It was something to think about, surely, but for now, he was going to hold on to the belief that he'd be okay.

"Perfect!" Michael sighed out joyfully, which caused a sickening feeling in Gabriel's stomach.

"I have to ask, how do you know they haven't switched again?"

"Oh, I used this..." She pulled out a pair of glasses that had frames made of metal, shaping to look like entwining vines.

"Those were Raphael's!" Gabriel shouted. "How DARE you go through his things!?"

"Gabriel, really..." She rolled her eyes. "...He's been dead for a little over six thousand years. You need to move on. Uriel and I have." She turned to face Crowley and gave him a dark grin. "Anyway, these allow me to read a person's aura. Raphael invented them so that he may be able to teach others in a easier way how to read auras...or was it to teach them at all..." She pondered, but then shrugged it away. "Oh well. Turns out they're very efficient and both demons and angels have VERY specific auras. So..." She slipped the glasses on and nodded her head. "Yes, they're still themselves." She put the glasses in her pocket before snapping her fingers, miracling a tub in the room. She then filled it with Holy Water like she did last time. Once she was finished she sent another glare towards Crowley, but was caught by surprise when he let out an agitated sigh as he got up.

"Let's get this over with, shall we? I was going to take Aziraphale to the Ritz today."

"It's your death." She chuckled cruelly. "By all means." She moved to the side and watched as he stood next to the tub.

Crowley and Aziraphale shared a look and both nodded in understanding. They then both stepped into their 'punishments' at the same time. Crowley sunk down in the Holy Water, unaffected by it. In fact, he found it pleasantly warm. Meanwhile, Aziraphale hadn't so much as even got a singe on his clothes. If anything, he found he could compare it to a nice summer day where the sun wasn't too unbearable. Aziraphale then turned around to face Michael and the other two demons while Crowley merely turned his head to face them. "How's the water, Crowley?" Aziraphale smirked confidently as his heart continued to do many leaps of joy.

"Oh, it's wonderful! Would you like to switch? It's actually nice in here."

"Don't mind if I do." He nodded, chuckling slightly. Then, to Michael and Beelzebub's horror, they physically got out of their 'punishments' and switched. Crowley went to stand in Hellfire, stretching his arms, and Aziraphale decided that for once in his long long life, he was going to allow his clothes to get messed up. It seemed like the perfect occassion. So, he toed off his shoes and socks, and then he got into the water himself. "Hey, you're right, Crowley! The water's nice and warm!"

"Told you!" He chuckled out in the Hellfire. "So, Michael, Beelzebub, are you finished looking like fools?" He chanced a look at Gabriel, who would look calm and composed to anyone else, but to Crowley, he knew better. 'Are you alright?'

'I...you...you survived...BOTH! So did Aziraphale! I...I'm so relieved!'

'Just keep up the appearance.'

"Michael..." Gabriel started as calm as he could. "...I think it's time to end this."

"B-But HOW!?" She shouted in pure disbelief.

"There's only one way, Michael." Gabriel breathed out as he walked towards her. "They must be protected by God Herself. They must be an important part somewhere in her Ineffable Plan. We can't go against it and neither can the demons, unless we ALL want to risk being destroyed by Her. We need to leave them alone."

"Oh, I like that plan." Crowley grinned as he stepped out the Hellfire.

"So do I." Aziraphale smirked as he lifted himself out of the tub.

"Let me help you with that, Aziraphale." Crowley smiled as he stepped closer to his Best Friend, snapping his fingers, making him instantly dry and even put his socks and shoes back on for him.

"Oh! Thank you, Crowley!" He smoothed out his coat some before flashing Michael a soft smile. "Are we done here?"

"Oh...not just yet, Angel." Crowley smirked as he heard two other sets of footsteps. He turned to face them and saw Sandalphon and Uriel rushing towards them, swords ready. "Well, NOW it's a party!"

"What are THEY doing here!?" Sandalphon spat.

"They were tested once again, just to be sure, and they are both clearly protected by God Herself." Gabriel stated calmly, trying to NOT show how relieved he was. "They even switched from fire to water right in front of our eyes. They're fully protected."

Crowley stepped forward towards Uriel and Sandalphon, ignoring the mental pleas Gabriel was sending his way, and he stopped about three feet in front of them. "You lot tried to kill my Best Friend." He breathed out, showing his pure disappointment. "My, how Heaven has changed."

"You wouldn't know ANYTHING of Heaven, DEMON!" Sandalphon spat.

"Oh, I know plenty." Crowley laughed out. "I know enough to know that you're a sad excuse for an Archangel." At that, Crowley immediately saw the fury light itself like the huge firewall he drove through and started dodging the other Archangel's attacks. "Wow, and once you're told by another Archangel that I'm protected by GOD HERSELF...you dare try and continue to attack me!" When Sandalphon was about to actually thrust the sword into his chest, Crowley stopped the blade with his hand, not gaining a single cut. He gripped harder on the blade, effectively shattering it and he watched as the hilt clattered to the floor and out of Sandalphon's hand. He then looked up and punched him as hard as he could with both demonic and Archangelic force, knocking him all the way to the other side of the room. "THAT'S FOR COMING UP WITH THE IDEA FOR HELLFIRE, YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Crowley then waved his hand, summoning Sandalphon back to him like he summoned the pages out of the book, and he promptly dropped him on his ass.

"Y-You DARE strike an ARCHANGEL!?"

"You didn't seem to have a problem with it." He growled out.

"What the Hell are you talking about!?" He questioned as he scrambled to stand again.

"Ah..." Crowley chuckled before he turned to face Gabriel, Michael, Aziraphale, Hastur, and Beelzebub, who were all blinking at him in complete astonishment for different reasons. For Hastur and Beelzebub it was because Hell's traitorous demon had the balls to punch an Archangel. For Michael it was close to the same thing, but it was also the fact that somehow Crowley had found out about who EXACTLY decided on Hellfire as Aziraphale's punishment. For Aziraphale it was because of how much power that was in that one strike, and then he effortlessly summoned Sandalphon back over to him as if he was pulling a book off a shelf. For Gabriel it was because he realized right then and there from the look in Crowley's eyes that Crowley was about to out himself for being an Archangel. Crowley turned his gaze back to Sandalphon and Uriel. "...let me make it so that EVERYONE understands." He switched his entire aura over to his Archangel aura as he unfurled his Archangel wings that stretched wide and tall, towering over everyone in the room. Once he felt they were stretched enough, he allowed them to shrink behind his back, but he didn't pull them completely in. He allowed them to still remain visible as the feathers brushed against his back.

"Y-Y-You're Raphael!" Crowley heard Michael shout.

He turned to face her, and calmly walked away from the two gaping and baffled Archangels. He walked towards her and gave her a pointed glare. "Tell me, DEAR SISTER...what EXACTLY was my job to be before I fell?"

"Y-You...you were to protect humans and humanity." She answered as her skin further paled.

"I did that by stopping the apocalypse with Aziraphale's help and Adam Young. I've BEEN doing that since I fell! I have fulfilled my job as a demon as I was instructed to while adding my own personal little touches, but I still protected them. Aziraphale kept his faith, and he protected humanity as well. He kept trying to reason with you lot, but you wouldn't listen. Instead, when you found out that he's been talking with a demon, your first idea is how to execute him! However, you go behind all of HEAVEN'S back and you bring a Duke of Hell and a Prince of Hell INTO HEAVEN! Who knows how long you've been speaking with them, giving them secrets, telling them where Aziraphale was at. I mean...I had to know where he was at somehow, and I doubt they figured out his locations all by themselves. So, how about YOU step into the Hellfire and let's see just how PROTECTED BY GOD YOU ARE!" She quickly backed away, frantically shaking her head. Meanwhile, Beelzebub and Hastur were staring at Crowley with dropped jaws and wide eyes. "No?" Crowley questioned. "THEN I SUGGEST YOU ALL LEAVE US ALONE! There would've been absolutely NO way that Aziraphale would've survived Hellfire if GOD hadn't planned it. Come after us, and you're going against her Ineffable Plan, and OBVIOUSLY she wants us to be alive and to be Best Friends, so bugger off! I'm sure God will find suitable punishment for you after this." Beelzebub and Hastur nodded their heads and quickly fled without another word, Michael was as white as the walls of Heaven. "Am I clear, Michael?"

"C-Crystal, Raphael."

"GOOD!" He spat out before gently placing an arm around Aziraphale's shoulders._ 'Gabriel, you can visit when you want. I'd love to have you at my flat. Aziraphale...may need some time.'_

Gabriel chuckled openly and shook his head as he walked towards Crowley, who knew what was coming, so he let go of Aziraphale and opened his arms. Gabriel wrapped his arms around Crowley, giving him the tightest and warmest hug he could. "Good to have you back!"

"It's good to BE back, Gabriel." He replied as he returned the hug with as much force that was given.

"I'm s-sorry...but can someone explain to me why...h-how!?" Sandalphon questioned.

Gabriel and Raphael separated and looked at each other for a brief moment before turning to face Sandalphon. "It's Ineffable." They chorused together.

"No...I mean...wh-why are you...glad to see him? He...He betrayed both Heaven and Hell."

"Because we're twins." They answered in unison with proud smiles.

"T-Twin ANGELS!? Twin ARCHANGELS!?"

"Yup." Crowley replied, making his wings finally go back into his body. "Now, Aziraphale and I have someplace to be." He gave a brief nod to Gabriel before taking Aziraphale out of Heaven and back to Anathema's cottage where both Anathema and Adam were waiting with worried expressions.

"Are you alright!?" Anathema questioned as soon as she saw them.

"Yes, we're quite alright." Aziraphale answered, still giddy from the fact that he ACTUALLY survived Hellfire, and the switch they preformed this time rewarded him far more than asking Archangel Michael to miracle him a towel. Not only that, but Crowley showed he was Raphael and punched Sandalphon clear across the room. Now, they were officially going to be left alone. "We were put through punishment again, but it seems God has other plans than us dying."

"Seems so." Crowley grinned as he looked at Adam. "Thank you again. I can't say it enough, Adam."

"You're welcome." He beamed proudly. "So...why did they punish you again?"

"Because, Adam..." Aziraphale started. "...they didn't like us being friends and they didn't like us helping you stop Satan AND Armageddon."

"Well that's just stupid!"

"I agree." Crowley chuckled out. "Thank you both for your help. Sorry about my behavior as a fledgling."

"Wait, you remember all of that too!?" Aziraphale questioned.

"Of course I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to know to change my aura, cop off to Michael with more confidence than usual, and I certainly wouldn't have stepped in Holy Water if I didn't remember that I was no longer a demon. I can just switch my aura now. What that means for the future..." He rolled his eyes as he let out a sigh. "...only God knows. Let's go, Angel."

"Really? You really meant it? We're going to the Ritz?" Aziraphale questioned as he followed Crowley back to the car.

"Of course I was serious!" He laughed as he opened the driver side door. "It's a special occasion! I'm redeemed, an Archangel once again, I got my twin brother back, and most importantly..." He got into the car at the same time as Aziraphale, and they closed their doors at the same time. He then looked at Aziraphale with a soft smile and joyful eyes as he finished, "I don't EVER have to worry about my Best Friend ever again!"

"Oh, perhaps we could go tomorrow though."

"Oh? Why?"

"Well, I would still like to organize the rest of the bookshop, but YOU are not allowed to read anymore spell books! If you want to read, you have to read the normal books. Speaking of which...you told me you didn't read."

Crowley noticed the smug yet mischievous grin on Aziraphale's face and let out a fake groan of irritation. "I just KNEW that was gonna come back to haunt me someday." When he started the car Queen's 'You're My Best Friend' started playing and they made their way to the bookshop, conversing about many different books and some, miraculously enough, Aziraphale didn't have. However, he just might find them on his desk when they make it back thanks to a certain redeemed Archangel.


End file.
